"Temperature control is critical for RTP processes," said Bob MacKnight, president of the Thermal, Films and Etch Division at Mattson Technology. "These new temperature controllers provide our customers the ability to extend their current technology to future device generations, especially for device designs at and below 90 nm geometries. One of our goals has been to continuously improve the performance of our successful RTP technology, where we already have a strong leadership position. With these new offerings, Mattson is continuing its long history of providing enabling, breakthrough technologies on high-productivity platforms that provide the lowest cost of ownership."

The new flash anneal and low temperature controllers are based on full system modeling. "We have demonstrated that the best process results are achieved by system modeling and the associated temperature control of an inherently uniform wafer environment, as opposed to attempting to monitor and control many temperature zones independently," said MacKnight. "Trying to achieve optimum results with multiple inputs and multiple outputs presents an unnecessary calibration requirement and output drift uncertainty."

Key benefits of the new temperature controllers include improved ease of use and reduced set up time and cost, as they do not require optimization by the customer. The enhanced temperature control significantly improves temperature repeatability over the entire range of wafer backside films. This emissivity independence is especially important to those customers manufacturing multiple types of devices.

Availability

These innovative temperature controllers are immediately available as standard features on the new 3000 Plus RTP system, Mattson Technology's newest 300 mm RTP tool. Several prominent Asian chipmakers are now using the new 3000 Plus, configured with this robust controller technology. As a testament to the 3000 Plus' superior performance in meeting 90 nm requirements, Mattson Technology has received commitments for follow-on orders.

About the 3000 RTP Series

The 3000 series is Mattson Technology's industry-leading 300 mm RTP product line. The 3000 series RTP product line includes the production-proven 3000, the 3000 Steam for wet oxidation based thermal applications and the 3000 Plus for production of sub-90 nm generation devices. The 3000 series offers fast ramp capability, along with the extension of the temperature measurement and control range down to lower temperatures, allowing them to address the stringent processing requirements for ultra-shallow junction and silicide formation. Additional process capabilities include S/D annealing, dry oxidation, oxynitridation and glass reflow. Key features of the 3000 systems include: a proprietary dual-sided wafer heating technology that provides improved total uniformity and yield, a dual-arm robot for higher productivity and a smaller footprint. The 3000 series systems are also available in a 200 mm configuration.

About Mattson Technology, Inc.

Mattson Technology, Inc. is a leading supplier of semiconductor wafer processing equipment used in "front-end" fabrication of integrated circuits. The company is a market leader in dry strip and RTP equipment, and its products combine advanced process technology on high-productivity platforms backed by industry-leading support. Since beginning operations in 1989, the company’s core vision has been to help bring technology leadership and productivity gains to semiconductor manufacturers worldwide. Headquartered in Fremont, Calif., the company maintains sales and support centers throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, please contact Mattson Technology, Inc., 47131 Bayside Parkway, Fremont, Calif. 94538. Telephone: (800) MATTSON/(510) 657-5900. Fax: (510) 492-5911. Internet: www.mattson.com.